Typical carcinoid tumor of the larynx occurring with otalgia: a case report

Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the larynx comprise a rare group of tumors that have a controversial history with regard to their classification. The World Health Organization categorizes these tumors as typical carcinoids, atypical carcinoids, small-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas, and paragangliomas. Atypical carcinoids and small-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas are the more common. Only 13 cases of typical carcinoid have been reported. Local excision is sufficient for typical carcinoids and paragangliomas, but atypical carcinoids require neck dissection because of their tendency to metastasize. Small-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas are not cured by local excision, and these patients have the worst prognosis (5-year survival: 5%); their treatment is limited to chemo- and radiotherapy. Because of these variations in tumor behavior and treatment, it is essential that otolaryngologists and pathologists to be able to correctly identify the specific type of tumor in order to optimize patient treatment and survival. We report a case of typical carcinoid and review the pertinent literature on this subject.